Health Services

International Health Insurance

Before you travel to Budapest, you are required have a US(or equivalent)international health insurance that is valid in Hungary (and countries you plan to travel to) covering at least up to 40,000 USD of your health expenses, and is valid for your entire stay. We also encourage students to investigate additional travel insurance that may cover evacuation in the case of medical emergency.

Note: When you travel outside Budapest, you must use your international insurance.

UniMed Health Insurance

BSME tuition includes a local insurance provided by the UNION Vienna Insurance Group, called UniMed Health Insurance. This is a limited insurance that covers emergency medical benefits (including hospitalization) within Budapest, but for most purposes, it is more convenient than an international insurance. It will not pay for treatment outside the city limits of Budapest, ongoing treatment for chronic issues, evacuation due to medical emergencies, or other major issues not easily addressed by the municipal health system.

The UniMed insurance:

covers primary care, outpatient specialist care, and inpatient care in Budapest, at specific facilities of the Semmelweis Medical University for up to 700,000 HUF;

The UniMed insurance also has a 24-hour medical hotline number: +36-1-461-1590. An English speaking personnel will help you set up an appointment or tell you where to go in case you need help urgently. Keep your health insurance card with you at all times—you will need to show the card and your passport when you see a doctor.

Prescription Medications

Under Hungarian law, a medication supply of no more than 90 days is allowed to enter the country. To bring your medication into the country, you will be required to show a letter from your doctor describing why you take the medication(s), and that they are necessary for your treatment. Your doctor should include your dosage in the letter. Please, make sure that the letter from your doctor looks official: it should be on a letterhead, stamped (if possible) and signed. You may need the letter at the border, and it will also help the Hungarian doctor to prescribe the medication for you.

We suggest that you bring at least a one month supply of any necessary medication. Then, shortly after your arrival in Budapest, contact a local doctor who can prescribe your medication for the duration of your semester. You can make an appointment even prior to your arrival.

We usually suggest that students go to one of the following two medical centers, where all staff and doctors speak English, as these centers work with expats:

Note: The medication identical to Tylenol is called Panadol in Hungary.

Mental Health

We believe that a student’s mental health is just as important as their physical well-being. Adjusting to the demands of academic challenges and a new urban environment can be stressful. Talking with a professional counselor can help you find ways to manage academic pressures, personal problems, and cultural adjustments. The BSME Building provides a counselor, and a psychologist who will be available to BSME students. For those seeking long-term counseling outside the BSME setting, an experienced clinical and psychologist is also available.

A psychologist, Ágnes Tóth, is available on a weekly basis at the BSME Building. To make an appointment, e-mail agnes.toth@iesmail.com. Mark BSM/E at the subject.

A mental health counselor, Levente Somogyi, is available on a weekly basis at the BSME Building. To make an appointment, email mhc@human-service.hu .

Academic Accommodations

BSME is committed to providing all participants with equal access and opportunity to our academic environment. We can typically provide the same (or similar) academic accommodations to which you are currently entitled at your home institution. To qualify, you need to provide a reliable proof of conditions to the BSME Budapest Office. A signed letter from your learning disabilities office or advisor, or an email sent by an appropriate staff person from your home institution will suffice.

BSME Quick Links

BSME Blog

By Rachael Blackman – BSME Summer 2018 Sziasztok (Hello)! After 22 hours of traveling, I landed myself 9 hours into the future in the capital of Hungary to study the Hungarian approach to math education. The 2018 summer program called Budapest Semesters in Mathematics Education (BSME) consisted of 16 university students from the United States […]

By Sophia Hui – Pomona College, California, 2017 Fall student at BSME As I am writing this, I am missing Budapest and considering to apply for a Fulbright that will take me back to that beautiful city after graduation. I only have one more year of college bliss left, before reality hits and I have […]

By Cory Saunders, 2016 Spring student at BSM On Wednesday afternoons, my classmate Erin and I walked ten minutes to Derkovits School in Budapest, Hungary to host a math club for seventh graders. With the guidance of workshops led by Réka Szász and other collaborative resources, we created and led the activities for 4-8 students […]

Website Accuracy

Keeping our website accurate, helpful, and easy to use is important to us. If you find information that is incorrect, missing, or confusing, please let us know by emailing bsme@bsmeducation.com. Any other suggestions about the website are also welcome!